It's Autumn so that must mean piano practice...

I say that because I remember that going back to school after the summer holidays often coincided with a new term of piano lessons, and that usually meant piano practice.  Or at least thinking about piano practice.  Funny how good we become at preparing for or contemplating that which we ought to be doing.  I say 'we' although I do, of course, mean 'I'.  Having said that, I was just talking to my Barcelona buddy who had just completed a precision strategy for doing the copious amounts of work he has on at the moment.  He hadn't quite started the work yet...  I likened it to the staggeringly brilliant revision timetables I used to prepare for myself when preparing to revise.  Putting the final touches to my revision timetable usually justified a long break, just no revision.  I was a bit the same with piano practice.

Anyway, the slight nip in the air has put me in focused frame of mind and I decided to order a couple of jazz piano tutors - that's books, not people, although if you're a jazz piano tutor and fancy popping round, please do.  I'm making a sort of determined bid to do some proper piano practice so I can up my jazz piano skills.  It feels horribly like preparing a revision timetable and I do, strangely, have quite a lot of jazz theory/exercise/how to practise books already.  Just not these ones.  Hey, I got an email from jazzwise and it compelled me to purchase.  I think I'm what you call a marketer's dream.  Anyway, I thought it might give me a little theme to follow through on a bit of a blog push.  I can describe how well I'm doing... Hahahahahaha.

Looks like I might finally have a tentative date for recording in November.  Just have to finalise the studio, musicians and tunes so it's not entirely in the bag yet but I do have a producer.  Hooray.

Oh, and just to keep you up to date, I've now lost 2 stone 6 and a half pounds since I started my weight loss thang in February.  Bloody brilliant.  

Don't forget to come to The George in South Molton on Friday 26th September for a great gig with Philip Clouts, Al Swainger and Gary Evans.  Top band, top venue, top gig.

Rx 

Top night at The Beaver Inn

Great venue, great people, great gig... I'm gushing a bit but hey, it was a top night. Not only that, it was my first big gig in Devon and there were loads of friendly faces. My salsa teachers, my pilates teacher, the lady from the post office, my new friend from the fab interiors shop in Barnstaple (you can take the girl out of Clapham...), loads of people from the jazz jam at The White Hart in Bideford (Friday nights, get down there!). Really chuffed to see you all there. Great audience all round. Let's hope it'll be the first of many South West gigs. Top band - Ian Turner on bass, Mark Heyward on drums and Dan Moore on piano. Very large thanks to Ian for inviting me to sing with them - that's The Fab Fox Five in case you're trying to track them down. I know... they're a trio... I know. The Beaver Inn is a lovely place - 85 Irsha Street, 01237 474822. Right on the sea front, sort of hanging over it almost. Yummy food and extremely friendly hosts and guests. Top jazz there every month run by the North Devon Jazz Club.

One more thing, I stayed in a lovely room right at the top of The Crabshell Guest House in Appledore. I can highly recommend it. Ask for the room at the top - a gorgeous kind of look out room with sweeping views across the river and out to sea. Felt like my own little hideaway. Check them out http://www.stevecarter.com/devonguesthouse/appledore.htm The window with the view that you can see on the website was my room. Lovely.

Next big fun - BBC Radio Devon, Friday March 9th 10-11pm. I've been invited on to John Govier's late night show for a bit of a chat (live) and a few songs (live). Oo er missus. You don't want to miss that one, and you don't have to as you can listen live online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2006/04/12/radio_devon_john_govier_feature.shtml
I dare say I might mention it again before the big night. It will hopefully be with The Fab Fox Five... trio.

That's about it. I love Devon - have I mentioned that...

Rx